President Obama / Carolyn Kaster, AP

by David Jackson, USA TODAY

by David Jackson, USA TODAY

Starting a series of "Middle Class Jobs and Opportunity Tours," Obama travels to Austin to visit high-tech facilities and promote his plans for education and basic research funding.

First, Obama will visit Manor New Tech High School, where, the White House schedule says, "students are learning the real-world skills they need to fill the jobs that are available right now."

Then the president will tour Applied Materials, "one of the high-tech companies that has made Austin a hub for innovation and job creation," the White House said.

Obama is scheduled to make remarks at both places.

Among his announcements: a competition to create three "manufacturing innovation institutes," partnerships among businesses, colleges and government to help create manufacturing jobs. The president has asked Congress for $1 billion to create a total of 15 such institutes.

Obama will discuss plans to require the government to make its data more easily available to businesspeople, researchers and others.

In addition to discussing his own agenda, Obama plans to criticize congressional Republicans for objecting to a "balanced" debt reduction plan, one that includes both budget cuts and higher taxes on the wealthy.

In a statement, the White House said, "Starting this week on the 'Middle Class Jobs and Opportunity Tour,' President Obama will visit communities across the country to learn what has helped them become successful and use these models of growth to encourage Congress to act."